[Evaluation of the Filaria Detect™ IgG4 kit employing recombinant Wb123 antigen for diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis in BrazilEvaluación del estuche Detect™ para pruebas de anticuerpos antifiláricos IgG4, fabricado con el antígeno recombinante Wb123, para el diagnóstico de la filariasis linfática en Brasil].

The Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, launched by the World Health Organization in the year 2000, proposes the use of circulating filarial antigen tests as a diagnostic tool to assess and monitor initiatives to control filarial infection. However, despite a high sensitivity, these tests are not efficient to detect infection at early stages, before worms have reached the adult stage. Considering this limitation, anti-filarial antibody testing has been suggested as an alternative, given that the antibodies produced against the larvae are detectable before the presence of circulating filarial antigen.

Multifocal skeletal tuberculosis in an immunocompetent patient: a case report.

Background: The occurrence of multifocal skeletal involvement in immunocompetent patients is rare, even in countries where tuberculosis is endemic. Multifocal skeletal lesions may occur as a result of hematogenous dissemination from another primary focus such as cervical lymph nodes, lungs, tonsils or gastrointestinal tract.

Case Presentation: We present a 59 year-old man with a history of intermittent and disabling pain in his left knee for 2 years.

Candida famata-induced fulminating cholecystitis.

Lithiasic cholecystitis is classically associated with the presence of enterobacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter, in the gallbladder. Cholecystitis associated with fungal infections is a rare event related to underlying conditions such as diabetes mellitus, steroid use, and broad-spectrum antibiotic use for prolonged periods, as well as pancreatitis and surgery of the digestive tract. Here, we present the first reported case of a gallbladder infection caused by Candida famata.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients treated with drotrecogin alpha and other interventions of the "Surviving Sepsis" campaign in clinical practice.

Background And Objectives: To face the high mortality of sepsis, interventions grouped as "Surviving Sepsis Campaign" have been suggested. The aim of the study was to describe the application of glycemic control, corticoid use in septic shock, inotropics and drotrecogin-alpha in sepsis.

Methods: We studied 110 patients with sepsis from Recife/Brazil, who received drotrecogin-alpha between 2003/2006.